THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) last Tuesday reminded the public that having multiple Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) could land them in prison.
BIR Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui Jr. was quoted in the statement as saying that taxpayers must be “vigilant” in “keeping track of their TINs” and must ensure that they are not being “duplicated.”
“This will surely help maintain the integrity of the tax system and promote a fair and equitable tax environment. The BIR has implemented measures to identify and prosecute individuals who violate the TIN provision,” Lumagui said.
Lumagui explained that having more than one TIN is a violation of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997.
“The acquisition of multiple TINs by a taxpayer is a serious offense that can lead to legal repercussions and significant revenue losses for the government,” it said.
“The offender will pay a fine of One Thousand pesos [P1,000.00]or suffer imprisonment of not more than six [6] months or both,” it added.
Aside from the penalties, the BIR said taxpayers with more than one TIN could lead to “confusion” and “errors” in the filingo tax returns, which in turn could result in different sets of penalties and even additional tax obligations.
“If an individual has inadvertently acquired multiple TINs, it is necessary to rectify the situation immediately by requesting for cancellation of the TINs issued to the taxpayer,” the BIR said. Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas
“The taxpayer shall submit BIR Form 1905 to request for the cancellation of the TIN to the RDO (Regional/District Office) where the taxpayer is registered,” it added.
